The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ and the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 77mm. The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ with a length of 71mm, is 6mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS also has a larger diameter of 74mm compared to the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ's 64mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ weighs 281g, which means it is 144g (33%) lighter than the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS which has a weight of 425g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Sony FE 55mm F1.8 ZA CZ is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 55mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
82.5mm.
On the other hand, the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm F1.2 OIS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 43mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 86mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
